Nine Hundred Years Too Soon
by Gemini14
Summary: Harlock, the most notorious space pirate in the sea of stars, is faced with a dilemma he has never been faced with before he is in twentyfirst century earth! Can he find his way home to his own time? Or will he be trapped in this time forever?
1. Chapter One

Nine Hundred Years Too Soon

Chapter One

The world was a haze of red as one man struggled to survive. His steps were unsteady and each breath he took was agony. He wished for a quicker death, but there was nothing to grant him that. He'd been split off from his friends and now was subject to whatever cruel fate awaited him. As he collapsed to his knees, he saw a brilliant light, and hoped that the end was near for him.

"_Finally_………………….._the pain will stop_………………" the man thought, as he allowed the light to surround him. 

Marian sighed as she drove home from work. Her life was worse than dull and her luck was worse than mediocre. For the fifth time that year, she was without a boyfriend.

"_At least work seems to be going good._" Marian thought, as she started to round a corner. She slammed on the breaks when she saw something appear from nowhere right in front of her.

"Holy shit!" Marian screamed, as she brought her car to a screeching halt. Cautiously, she got out of the vehicle and approached whatever had come out into the road. She gasped when she saw that a man lay unconscious on the pavement. 

"Hey! Are you all right? I didn't hit you or anything did I?" Marian asked, as she kneeled down and checked the man's pulse. He groaned when she touched him, but otherwise didn't say anything. 

"Well, now what do I do? I can't just leave him here." Marian muttered, as she eyed the man. Then, with a sigh of resignation, she dragged him to the car, ever mindful of the possibility of wounds. After she had gotten him situated, Marian got back into the car and continued her drive home. Once there, she dragged him inside and put him on one of the extra beds. With the added light, Marian could see what she was up against. The man wore a long, black cloak that had a red collar. A gold skull and crossbones clasped the neck of the garment into place. He also wore a black and gold semi-skintight uniform that came complete with boots. Emblazoned across the tunic was a white skull and crossbones. At his waist were two belts, each had a gold skull and crossbones buckle. On one belt was a rapier type sword (or what Marian assumed was a sword) and on his left leg was a revolver type gun. Then Marian looked at the man's face. She could almost guess at the man's ethnicity by his high cheekbones and strong jaw. A scar graced his left cheek and stopped just short of the other side of his nose. A black velvet patch covered his right eye. 

"Cripes, what are you? Some kind of pirate?" Marian muttered, as she started working the clasp on the cape loose. At the mention of the word 'pirate' Marian could have sworn that she'd seen the man twitch. When she had gotten the cape and tunic off, she took a look at the man's chest. She shook her head when she saw what condition his chest was in.

"Got yourself into a fight, didn't you?" Marian said, as she took in the sight of bruises upon bruises. Then she looked at his arms. One of the arms had an ugly cut near the shoulder that had gotten infected. 

"You sure don't know how to take care of yourself." Marian said, as she dabbed at the wound with a washcloth. After she'd finished getting the wounds tended to, she pulled the man's boots off and tucked him in. she had to admit, he wasn't very hard to look at. Despite the scars he had, he was very handsome. 

"_With my luck, he's probably some nutcase who thinks he's a pirate._" Marian thought, as she turned out the lights and let the man sleep. 

Marian was awakened bright and early the next morning by a familiar wet nose prodding her hand.

"Okay, Kiyu, I'm awake." Marian muttered, as she reluctantly got up and got dressed. This was the start to her vacation, so she really didn't have any need to be up so early. Then thoughts of the previous night came back. Silently, she cracked open the door to see if her new 'house guest' had awakened yet and sighed when Kiyu barged past her into the room. Being the inquisitive dog that she was, Kiyu immediately noticed that there was a new person in the room and trotted over to investigate.

"Kiyu!" Marian said, keeping her voice down because she didn't want to wake the man up. Kiyu, of course, didn't listen, and proceeded to nudge the man's hand in the same fashion as she had her mistress'. Marian watched as the man's eyelid fluttered, then opened, to reveal a cool, silvery gray eye. At first the eye was glazed and had a confused look in it; then the man shook his head and cleared it. He looked bemusedly at the dog, then seemed to notice that Marian was still standing there, watching. For a long moment, the man lay where he was and watched Marian, his expression undeniably one of questioning. When he spoke, Marian nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Why did you save me?" the man asked, in a quiet, yet resonant, voice.

"What do you mean? I had to! I couldn't very well leave you on the road! I mean, by now, you'd probably be street pizza!" Marian said, noticing when the man gave her an odd look. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Marian asked. 

"You say you found me on a road?" the man asked, quietly, ignoring Marian's question.

"Yes." Marian replied.

"But the last thing I remember was being on a battlefield. Are you sure you found me on a road?" the man asked, as he painfully sat up.

"I'm not questioning my sanity. Yes I am quite sure I found you on the road last night." Marian said, as she leaned back on a wall and looked at the man. 

"Are you implying that I am insane?" the man asked, arching an eyebrow when he said that.

"No." Marian lied. The man gave her a skeptical look.

"What is your name?" the man asked, willing enough to change the subject.

"My name's Marian. What's yours?" Marian asked, nonchalantly.

"My name is Harlock." The man replied, coolly. 

"So, I guessed right about you last night." Marian said.

"I beg your pardon?" Harlock asked, his expression not changing in the slightest.

"I thought you looked German by the way your face and body are built. Hearing your name really brings it all together. Harlock is a German surname." Marian said, as she watched different expressions flicker across the scarred face of her guest. 

"My ancestors are from Arcadia, near Germany." Harlock said, as he watched the woman closely. 

"I see. So, are you hungry?" Marian asked. Harlock nodded.

"I'll be right back." Marian said, as she exited the room, leaving Kiyu with Harlock. When Marian returned, she smiled when she saw Harlock scratching Kiyu's ears and noticed the almost sad look in his remaining eye. 

"So, I see that Kiyu has taken a liking to you." Marian said, as she entered, carrying a tray with Harlock's breakfast on it.

"It seems that way." Harlock said, with a sigh as the tray was placed in front of him. With a casual air, he eyed the breakfast he'd been given, then started eating. 

"You know, for someone that was dressed as a pirate, you sure have good table manners." Marian said, getting a somewhat long-suffering look from Harlock for that remark. 

"Not all pirates are sloppy ruffians." Harlock retorted, with a somewhat insulted look on his face.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be insulting." Marian said, with a chuckle.

"Huh, sure you are." Harlock replied, sarcastically. 

"Hey, now!" Marian jabbed, good-naturedly. 

"What?" Harlock asked, trying to sound innocent. 

"You're hopeless. Okay, do you have a pirate ship somewhere?" Marian asked.

"You're not being sarcastic, are you?" Harlock asked, with an eyebrow raised as he finished his breakfast and put the tray aside.

"No! I want to know if you have a ship." Marian said, leaning forward, eager to learn more about her guest.

"I have a ship. Her name is Arcadia." Harlock replied, his expression going deadpan when Marian started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Harlock asked, as Marian wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

"You named your ship after your birthplace! What happened? Did you get homesick or something?" Marian asked. She was startled when Harlock got up and put his tunic and boots back on, then started rummaging around for his cloak and weapons.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Your ribs haven't healed yet!" Marian exclaimed, standing when Harlock leaned on the door frame.

"Why should I explain anything to you? You are obviously ignorant of what the Illumidas Fleet did to the earth and to me. I'm a banished man. I bid you farewell." Harlock said, with a barely contained anger in his voice as he walked out of the room.

"What?! What do you mean by 'Illumidas Fleet'? What're you talking about?" Marian asked, but the man was already out of earshot.

"Damn it." Marian cursed, as she ran out of the room in an effort to follow him. When she got to the kitchen, she could hear him swearing in three different languages; German, Japanese, and English. Then, abruptly, the swearing stopped, and was followed by an uneasy silence. 

"_Now what?_" Marian wondered, as she tiptoed into the kitchen and looked at the 'pirate'. He stood frozen where he was, staring at a small day-by-day calendar that hung by the refrigerator. 

"This can't be………………..It just can't be…………There's no way…………." Harlock muttered, as Marian peeked around him in order to try to see what he was getting so worked up about. 

"What's the matter? Found out that it's too early for Halloween?" Marian asked. She saw Harlock draw back his single gray eye filled with disbelief. 

"No………….I'm nine hundred years in the past……………somehow I have been thrown back in time……" Harlock muttered, as he sank into a kitchen chair with a disbelieving look on his face.

"Nine hundred years in the past? Are you trying to tell me that you're from the thirtieth century?" Marian asked, not believing what she had just heard. Harlock did not answer her, but merely stared at the calendar. All he could think of was that his friends didn't exist, his ship didn't exist, and that he wasn't supposed to exist. At least, not yet anyway. Marian's heart melted when she saw that the tough 'pirate' was trembling at implications she knew nothing about. With a sigh, she gently embraced him from behind and looked at the calendar. The date was Tuesday, September 10, 2002; nine hundred years too soon.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

In the uneasy hours after Harlock had found that he was now in the early part of the twenty-first century, Marian could only watch as he withdrew quietly into himself. From her place in the kitchen, she watched as he silently gazed at the television; his face expressionless as the evening news came on.

"_The way he's acting_..._he's __got__ to be telling the truth! There's no way he could fake being in this amount of shock! He hasn't said a word since this morning!_" Marian thought, concernedly, as she closed the distance between them, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" Marian asked, concernedly. For a moment, Harlock tensed under her hand, then sighed.

"I'll be all right...It just came as an understandable shock to find myself in the past like this. I apologize for my actions earlier...it was uncalled for." Harlock murmured; his manner of speaking once again throwing any preconceived notions about pirates right out the window.

"No problem. Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have insulted you like that...I'm sorry." Marian said, smiling when a slightly rueful look appeared on the man's features.

"Though, if I had been the one to name my ship, you would have been right about the homesickness part...Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed and pay the rent." Harlock muttered, allowing a slight smile to appear when Marian chuckled.

"Got that right." Marian agreed; inwardly glad that things had been patched up between them, and that he was looking a little less lost. It was then that Kiyu chose to come into the room; tail ablur as she trotted up to them.

"Lemme guess...You need to go outside, don't you Kiyu?" Marian asked; getting a yip from the dog in response to her question.

"At least she gave you forewarning...My ship's resident cat never does. Always leaving nasty little surprises on beds or chairs to let people know that the litter needs changing." Harlock stated, dryly; remembering those instances very clearly. Marian chuckled at this, and shook her head.

"That bad, huh?" Marian asked.

"It gets better...The resident bird has a tendency to get drunk every now and again...And you can only hope that you are not anywhere under it when that happens." Harlock muttered; smirking when he heard her laugh at the thought of a drunk bird.

"I can only imagine..." Marian said; secretly pleased that she'd managed to get the pirate to smile. Yet, that feeling was quickly replaced with a little concern, when he uttered a slight hiss under his breath.

"Are your ribs bothering you?" Marian asked, noticing that he had paled a little in response to the pain in his chest.

"I think a few of them may have been cracked...and at least one is broken. I felt a bone shift, just now." Harlock replied, quietly.

"Let me go ahead and let Kiyu out, then I'll see to your ribs and arm. The bandages may need changing." Marian said, before doing just that. With a briskness she didn't even know she had, Marian let the dog out and then gathered what she was going to need; listening as the pirate moved back to the bedroom and feeling pity wash over her when she heard him gasp for breath.

"_But, knowing him, he probably wouldn't appreciate it. Some sympathy for his situation, yes. But not pity. He's too proud for that._" Marian mused, as she entered the room in time to see him wearily sit back down.

"I would have helped you, you know." Marian chided, as she set her first aid kit and the bowl of hot water down on the bedside table in front of him.

"Didn't want to trouble you." Harlock murmured, as he slowly removed his gunbelts and tunic. At this, Marian could only sigh and shake her head.

"I'm sure you worry more people than you realize, by doing that sort of thing." Marian said, exasperatedly, as she started removing the bloodied bandages from Harlock's injured arm. The space pirate said nothing more, yet she could almost tell that he was mulling over her words, and silently agreeing with them. Despite his best efforts, Harlock flinched when she pulled the bandages and gauze away from the wound, and when she started clearing the infection from it.

"_What she says is true_..._and I am quite certain that Tochiro and Emeraldas are even more upset with me, by now. But how can I return to the future from here? How did I get here in the first place?_" Harlock wondered; starting a bit when Marian gently pressed a hand to his brow.

"You've got a little bit of a fever. It isn't too bad now, but it's probably going to get worse before it gets better." Marian mused, as she moved on to his ribs; checking each one for the break Harlock had told her about moments before. In response to that, she got a dry look.

"Ever the optimist, I see." Harlock muttered, his deadpan expression emphasizing his words perfectly. He was certainly not looking forward to having to contend with the fever!

"Realist, you mean." Marian responded, not in the least bit perturbed by his words and chuckling inwardly when he rolled his eye slightly and allowed a sigh to escape.

"_It's going to be a long night_..." Harlock groused, as he carefully lay back down, reluctantly feeling something akin to relief once he had done so.

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As the night wore on, Marian was dismayed to see that she had been right in her prediction about the pirate's fever. His skin had become almost unbearably hot to the touch, and a cold sweat clung to his lean frame.

"_If his fever gets any higher, I may have to take him to the hospital_..._and I don't know how the hell I'm gonna explain where he'd even come from!_" Marian mused, as she took her usual seat at his side; setting a bowl of ice and water on the bedside table as she did so. With utmost care, she wiped the sweat from Harlock's pallid face; surprised when he unconsciously leaned in to her touch. For just a moment, she could feel it when her heart rate picked up, and blood rushed to her face; making her glad that Harlock wasn't awake.

"_Sheesh, Marian! Get a grip! The man's sick, for crying out loud! Stop acting like a schoolgirl with a crush!_" Marian inwardly chided herself, yet found it difficult to get her racing heart to slow down, or the blush to fade.

"_But he __IS__ pretty damn handsome, all things considered. Wonder if he has a girlfriend_..._or even a wife_..._in his own time? Either way, that girl would be pretty lucky._" Marian thought, even as the familiar feeling of jealousy emerged within her. Despite her best efforts, she was still single...and the thought of her 'foundling' space pirate having someone waiting for him in his own time made her feel some envy and also a trace of self-pity.

"_I'm going to have to try and get him back to his own time. But first_..._he needs to recover from this. Whatever the future is like, it isn't a kind place, if seeing him this way was any indication._" Marian reluctantly mused, as she continued to sit at his side; not knowing that her presence was comforting the pirate as much as his was troubling her.

Author's Note!

Not a very long or exciting chapter, I know, but I'm trying to get back into writing in this fic again! Hope it was all right, otherwise!

Gemini14


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three.

He awoke to warm light shining down on him, and a chill that seemed to draw all of the strength from him. Shivering slightly, Harlock tried to pull the covers even tighter around himself; gritting his teeth when the move put far too much pressure on his wounded arm, and succeeded in waking him up all the way. He almost jumped out of his skin when a hand gently brushed against his brow, yet felt some relief when he saw that it was only Marian.

"You...stayed up...?" Harlock started to ask, yet felt only more confusion when she put a finger to his lips to quiet him.

"Yeah." Marian said, answering the half-spoken question, and noticing the almost guilty expression that appeared on the pirate's scarred features.

"I apologize...Didn't mean...to worry you." Harlock managed, tiredly.

"Don't worry about it. Just rest. We'll talk about this later, okay?" Marian reassured, as she replaced the cold compress on his brow with a cooler one. He nodded only slightly in response, then glanced at the bedroom window. Warm, early-autumn sunlight was filtering in through the glass and curtains.

"Earth's sun...I never thought I'd actually miss it..." Harlock quietly mused aloud, the sadness in his voice prompting Marian's curiosity to return to the forefront.

"Have you been on the run for very long?" Marian heard herself ask. The space pirate could only nod in answer to the question.

"It...isn't easy. Not by a long shot. In order to remain free...you must make...sacrifices. The warmth of earth's sun...was one of many my crew and I had to be willing to make." Harlock murmured; unaware that his words were causing a few tears of sympathy to well in Marian's eyes.

"Then think of it this way...In this time, no one knows who you are, or that you're even here, in my home. You can rest as long as you want, and enjoy the sun's warmth while you're at it. There's no one here to stop you." Marian gently encouraged, as she opened the window to prove her point.

"_I hope she's right about this_..._Until it is time for me to return, I just want the chance to rest, without having some half-wit bounty hunter come after me._" Harlock mused, then sighed; his thoughts once again returning to his friends and crew. They were probably worried sick about him, by now...He had no right to be thinking such selfish thoughts. And yet, the breeze coming in through the bedroom window had an almost a peaceful effect on the world-weary pirate's mind; and, before he knew it, he was sound asleep, once again.

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As the morning and afternoon wore on, Marian found herself deviating even more from her usual routine. As much as she tried to distract herself from Harlock's room with her daily chores, she often caught herself glancing in its' direction. With a final sigh of exasperation, she gave in to her desire to sit at his side and watch over him.

"_What the hell am I doing? I don't even know him that well, and I'm acting like a nervous wife or something! I need to get a grip!_" Marian irritably mused, as she took her seat next to the bed again. No sooner had she done so, he uttered a soft groan.

"Harlock?" Marian said, concernedly; thinking that she had disturbed him in some way. He didn't respond, yet instead seemed to sink even further into what seemed to be a nightmare. An expression of anxiety was appearing on his scarred features, and his breathing was coming in harsh, uneven gasps.

"_What's going on? What is he dreaming about that has him so afraid?_" Marian wondered, jumping slightly when he started muttering something under his breath.

"N-no...Surrounded...They've got her surrounded...M-must get there..." Harlock mumbled, incoherently, tossing his head slightly on the pillow; making strands of dark brown hair fall across the sweat-soaked, over-warm skin of his face.

"Who? Who's surrounded?" Marian heard herself ask, her heart in her throat as she did so.

"Must try...She's depending on me...G-got to...protect her..." Harlock gasped; starting somewhat at the feel of her hand brushing the hair off of his face, then uttering a sudden cry of agony.

"Harlock! What's wrong?.! Answer me! Please!" Marian yelped, feeling more than just a little afraid when he abruptly pressed one hand over the right side of his face; trapping her left hand there as he did so.

"MAYA!!!" Harlock cried, bolting upright in the bed, and gasping when the pain in his chest and shoulder threatened to knock him out again.

"Whoa! Hang in there!" Marian said, as she attempted to steady him. She could almost hear his heart thundering in his chest, and the shaky breaths escaping from between his lips.

"M-marian?" Harlock whispered, from between shudders, as she helped him lie back down.

"You were having a nightmare." Marian stated; inwardly berating herself for stating the painfully obvious.

"It...it felt so real...Almost as though I were reliving it all over again..." Harlock murmured, allowing Marian to gently brush the tangled strands of hair off of his face, and put a fresh compress on his brow.

"I know. Some dreams can feel that way...but that's all it was. Just a dream." Marian soothed; her heart aching when she saw what could have been tears in his remaining eye.

"It was a dream...and a memory...of the event that changed my life forever...and influenced my decision to leave the earth behind...I wonder how long it will continue to haunt me?" Harlock softly asked, as he turned his gaze to the ceiling of the room; his guilt and self-loathing easily seen by the woman beside him.

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The next morning found Marian sitting at the ill man's side, once again. Over and over again, his guilt-ridden words echoed in her brain.

"_How long will it continue to haunt me?_" Harlock had asked, mournfully; and she'd had no answer to offer him. All she could do was remain by his side, and offer what comfort she could...even though she felt it was inadequate.

"_Just what __can__ you say to someone who has lost someone so dear to him, and then had his own world turn against him?_" Marian wondered, grimly; watching as Kiyu trotted into the room, approached Harlock's bedside, and nudged his hand with her nose. A slight smile touched her lips when she saw his hand twitch a little bit, then move to gently scratch the dog's ears.

"Good morning." Marian said, gently, as the pirate's eye fluttered open and slowly focused on her.

"Good morning...I take it you sat up all night with me again?" Harlock asked, his voice soft and a little weak. Marian nodded.

"I have." Marian replied, then added, "I couldn't sleep, knowing that your fever was that high."

"Thank you." Harlock murmured, seeming truly grateful for her care, so far.

"Think nothing of it. At least now your fever seems to have broken, so you can probably get out of bed today, if you feel like it. Just take it slow, okay?" Marian asked.

"I will keep that in mind." Harlock replied, as he carefully sat up, and as an unusual expression crossed his face.

"Something you want to add?" Marian asked, curious as to why the pirate seemed to have an abashed and even (dare she say it?) embarrassed look in his eye.

"I want to take a shower, but my spare clothing is in my quarters on board the _**Arcadia**_." Harlock replied, with a slight sigh. He looked up and gave her an arched eyebrow when she snickered at his discomfiture.

"I've never heard of a pirate who was that concerned about his personal hygiene." Marian teased; laughing softly when his expression deadpanned.

"There you go with your stereotypes again..." Harlock muttered; shaking his head slightly in exasperation as he said that. As Marian left the room to go and find him some spare clothes (courtesy of her ex-boyfriend's remaining belongings), she could hear him mumbling softly to himself in German, undoubtedly about the stereotypes she kept comparing him to, and how odd she seemed, compared to some of the other women he'd met in his own time.

Author's Note!

Hope this didn't seem like a whole lot of rambling! (I just wrote what came to mind, and it seems to make sense...). Again, it wasn't very exciting, but I'm trying to go a bit slower with this fic, storywise, so when the action does pick up, it won't 'knock the wind' out of anybody, lol. (I still need to figure out how to get him back to his own time...Any ideas, minna?) Hope this chapter was 'okay'!

Gemini14


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Everything was in chaos, as one man tried to bring a group of panicking men back to their senses. As it was, his own mind was in shambles; what in the world just happened?

"Tochiro! What was that, just now?.!" one man asked, as the _**Arcadia**_ shuddered beneath them.

"I'd tell you if I knew, First Officer! The only thing I can think of was that it was some kind of storm!" Tochiro replied; watching as some men carried their shipmates to the sickbay, many of them wounded from the firefight they'd been involved in just a short while before, and others by the turbulence the ship had just encountered.

"Y'think Alberich could be behind all this?" the First Officer again asked; sounding a little bit calmer than before, but not by much.

"No telling. It doesn't help matters any that Harlock has disappeared as well..." Tochiro murmured, then added, "Go ahead and get in touch with Emeraldas and Maetel. We're gonna need all the help we can get."

"Right!" The First Officer said, before rushing off to do just that.

"_Harlock, my friend, where the hell are you?_" Tochiro wondered, worriedly, then running down the hall to see if he could help in the repairs.

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Marian could already hear the water being turned on in the bathroom, as she re-entered the bedroom Harlock was using. She still felt vague surprise when she saw how organized the pirate could be; his uniform, though bloodstained and covered with dirt and what appeared to be ash, was neatly folded and placed with care on the footrail of the bed. He'd even removed the sheets and blankets from the bed for her!

"_A gentleman in disguise! He certainly __is__ a lucky catch for any girl!_" Marian mused, yet couldn't help but chuckle when she heard him utter a yelp of surprise when he turned the showerhead on, and the water came through too warm.

"You all right in there?" Marian asked, even though she could hear him cursing under his breath.

"Yes. Just had the water too hot, is all." Harlock replied, his voice muffled by the door, but the irritation was easily heard in his tone.

"I see." Marian said; knowing that it must have stung the injury on his arm quite a bit before he could adjust the water temperature. Deciding that now was the best time to leave the clothing she'd found, and gather up the laundry, Marian spoke through the door to the pirate again.

"I'd managed to find some stuff my ex-boyfriend had left behind. Whatever doesn't fit, go ahead and throw it out the window." Marian said, jokingly.

"Why?" Harlock questioned; his tone now distinctly curious. Marian allowed an almost evil little grin to cross her face before answering him.

"Let's just say that I still bear a grudge against my ex, okay?" Marian chortled, in response. For a few moments, there seemed to be some surprised silence, then Harlock spoke again.

"Maybe you'd fit in better with my crew than I'd first thought." Harlock muttered, with a soft laugh at that. Marian only smirked.

"Maybe." Marian agreed, then left the room so she could get started on the laundry. When she returned, however, her mind was immediately thrown for a loop. True, she had already seen the pirate without a shirt when she'd tended to his injuries, but nothing prepared her for the sight before her. He was seated on the bed wearing only a pair of black slacks that she'd brought up for him; idly cleaning some of the debris from his sword as he waited for her. Yet her eyes were riveted to his slight frame. While he wasn't overly muscular, he certainly wasn't a weakling, either.

"Do you like what you see?" Harlock questioned; arching an eyebrow in amusement when he startled her out of her daze, and saw the blush that was quickly appearing on her cheeks.

"You meant for that to happen, didn't you?" Marian muttered, semi-accusingly, as she gave him what she hoped was enough of a deadpan glance. She could only inwardly growl when he gave her a slight smirk; he wasn't convinced in the slightest.

"Not at all." Harlock replied, then added, "Just waiting for some help in putting some clean bandages on, that's all."

"Right..." Marian drawled, sarcastically, as she closed the distance between them, and started applying the medicine to his shoulder wound.

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Not for the first time, Harlock found himself wondering about the young woman in front of him. He knew from personal experience just how hard it could be to trust someone, it didn't matter what era it was. And yet...

"_And yet, she still brought me into her home, and tended to my wounds. Quite a brave act, on her part, since she lives alone._" Harlock mused, as he gazed at his quiet hostess. Despite her flustered appearance, she was competent in her treatment of his injuries. Calm, hazel-brown eyes were narrowed in concentration, and delicate hands carefully applied medication, and then bound the shoulder in clean bandages. Her bright, reddish-brown hair was pulled back in a loose tail that fell between her shoulders.

"There. That should do it. Now, for the ribs." Marian murmured, as she motioned for him to raise his arms a bit, so she could begin carefully binding his chest in gauze.

"Thank you for your help so far. It's appreciated." Harlock heard himself say, thoughtfully. This got a slight smile from the woman; a smile that, oddly enough, made him feel even better than before.

"As I've said before, it's no problem. After all, I couldn't just leave you on the street. Not after what you've been through. It's help and be helped, right?" Marian asked, lightly.

"True enough." Harlock agreed, even though he hadn't heard that statement said so honestly in a very long time.

"_Not since the beginning of the Earth/Illumidas War, at any rate._" Harlock thought, grimly; doubling over slightly when she accidently bumped the broken rib and struggling to hide a wince as he did so.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?.!" Marian asked, worriedly, as she carefully braced him against her own body, and looked up into his silvery eye with true concern in her own.

"Almost forgot about that rib...ow." Harlock muttered, as he, unwittingly, put his forehead on her slender shoulder and gasped for breath. Almost immediately, he was aware of the scent of fresh strawberries; a strangely soothing scent, all things considered. Intrigued, he turned his head slightly; the sweet smell becoming stronger as he did so.

"_The pain is fading_..._But why, I wonder?_" Harlock silently asked; feeling something akin to dismay when he felt her stiffen against him for just a second, and then relax. He started a little when he felt her wrap her arms around his waist, a few seconds later.

"_Marian_...?" Harlock wondered; not daring to move, or even look down, for fear of making her bolt from him.

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"_What the heck is going on?.!_" Marian wondered, her heart pounding in her chest when she felt his warm breath on her shoulder, and when he shifted slightly and inhaled the scent coming from her hair. Beneath her ear, she could hear his own heart; knowing just from hearing it that he was as surprised by this turn of events as she was. Without even realizing it, she reached out and gently wrapped her arms around him; holding him close in what she hoped was a comforting embrace. He jumped slightly at the touch, yet seemed to welcome it, as he followed suit a few seconds later and held her closer to him. For the first time in years, Marian felt truly safe; protected from the world outside by this brave and much-maligned man she hardly even knew. It took only an instant for them to realize just what sort of position they were now in, yet they were reluctant to break away from one another.

"_I hardly even know him_..._but it feels right, somehow, to be so near. Near enough to hear his heartbeat. Why?_" Marian wondered, as she gazed up at him again. To her surprise, his eye held the same questioning look in it; somehow knowing that his thoughts were echoing hers'.

"Are you all right now? Do you need anything for the pain?" Marian softly asked.

"I'll be all right. Though I do apologize for startling you, just now." Harlock replied, his tone gentle as he sat back; releasing the breath he didn't even know he'd been holding as he did so.

"No...It's okay...I...uh...just wanted to make sure you were all right, that's all." Marian stammered, with a slight blush, as she also let go. And yet, as they pulled back away from one another, they could feel the beginnings of an all-too-familiar ache begin to emerge in their hearts...and they could only wonder why.

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Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the pair within the room, a man was watching their every move with vengeful eyes.

"_Soon, Harlock. Very soon you will regret putting a stop to my plans. I will personally see to __that_" the man thought, venomously, before slipping out of sight into the woods near the house; the only thing to herald his comings and goings being the swaying of a few branches...and the growling of the protective dog within the nearby yard.

Author's Note!

Again, not a very exciting chapter, but I'm moving closer to the 'fight scenes' with every word! Honest! (lol) Hope this was all right, otherwise!

Gemini14


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

As the days wore on, it seemed that Harlock was finally beginning to recover his strength. To her amazement, Marian found that she was really enjoying the space pirate's company within her home.

"_The house actually seems a little less empty than it did before. Is it because I have another human being under this roof with me? Is that the reason?_" Marian wondered, as she watched him emerge from within the house with a book in hand; fully intending to sit down in the sunshine and read while he still could. All in all, he was one of the calmest men she had ever seen, under the circumstances.

"_At least he __seems__ a little more at ease, now. Those first few nights here were pretty rough on the both of us, considering how ill he really was._" Marian mused, chuckling when Kiyu enthusiastically jumped into the pirate's lap, and the chair he was sitting in fell over backwards; spilling the both of them onto the soft backyard grass.

"I see you, at least, think this is amusing." Harlock said, in mock-anger; laughing as he tried to hold the dog off from licking him to death.

"Of course! Because it didn't happen to me, that's why!" Marian retorted, playfully, glad to see that some life had returned to his eye, and that he wasn't looking as sickly as he had been before.

"_I'm glad I've been able to help him._" Marian concluded, as she watched him carefully stand back up, place the book out of Kiyu's reach, and then begin a game of fetch with the energetic canine.

"_After all, he deserves a break from his extraordinary life, and a chance to just be an ordinary man_..._if only for a little while._" Marian thought, as she watched him; her fondness of him just beginning to turn into something more, without her even being aware of it.

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A general feeling of alarm was felt, when Emeraldas' crew received the message from the _**Arcadia**_ that their captain was missing.

"Rowena, where is the _**Arcadia**_ now?" Emeraldas asked, anxiously, as she turned to one of her robotic crew with concern in her eyes.

"About two star-systems away from Valhalla, Captain." Rowena replied, dutifully.

"Then plot our course to rendevous with them immediately. I've got a bad feeling about this." Emeraldas said, as a feeling of dread settled itself firmly in her gut.

"Aye, Captain." Rowena confirmed.

"_Please_..._Please be all right, Tochiro_..._Harlock._" Emeraldas thought, as she hid her worry beneath a calm veneer, and focused on getting to her beloved's side as soon as she possibly could.

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"Oh dear, oh dear." a worried voice muttered, as its' owner scuttled down the aisle of what appeared to be a railway train.

"What is it, conductor?" Maetel asked, immediately aware that something was wrong by the tone of his voice.

"I have just received word from the _**Arcadia**_...Captain Harlock is missing...He hasn't been heard from for several days, now." the Three-Nine's conductor said, fretfully; his words causing a jolt of alarm to race down both Maetel's and Tetsuro's spines.

"He's missing?.! How?.! What happened?.!.?" Tetsuro questioned, more than just a little worried about the space pirate.

"No one seems to know. He went to investigate some strange phenomena on one of the planets near Valhalla...reports of monsters and what-have-you...and didn't come back. Tochiro doesn't think he's been killed, but something has happened." the conductor replied; noticing when the color seemed to drain from Maetel's pretty face.

"I think I know...A few days back, I felt what seemed to be some 'time holes' opening in that same region of space. Harlock may have fallen through one of them..." Maetel murmured, disturbed by this thought for more than just one reason.

"And we have no idea how far back in time he's fallen! Or even which planet he's ended up on!" Tetsuro said, despairingly.

"There's but a few who can tell us, now. A handful of people who have free rein to wander through time and space after the Time War...but will they agree to help us?" Maetel wondered aloud, as she gazed out the window at the stars for a moment, then gazed grimly at her companions.

"You won't know until you try. Do you want me to attempt to contact one of them?" the conductor asked.

"Yes. Preferably the Doctor, if you can reach him. His TARDIS seems the most likely one to find Harlock, now...no matter where or when he is." Maetel said, as she tried to calm her anxiety and worry for her missing friend. The conductor saluted before hurrying back the way he'd come.

"Just leave it to me, then!" the conductor shouted, as he rushed back to the engine of the train, with the self-proclaimed mission to call out to the vagrant Time Lord from there.

"_All we can really do now, is wait._" Maetel thought, as she turned her attention back to the stars just beyond the thick window of the train car.

"_Please. Be all right, Captain._" Tetsuro unconsciously added, as he felt the train turn around and head back the way it had come; equally as determined to meet up with the _**Arcadia**_ wherever she now was.

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As the afternoon wore on into evening, Harlock could tell that something was amiss. Every so often, Kiyu would pause in what she was doing, and snarl softly in one direction in particular; unconsciously trying to herd both Marian and him back into the supposed safety of the house.

"I wonder what's gotten into her, all of a sudden. She normally doesn't even growl at anyone..." Marian murmured; having also noticed her pet's unusual behavior and becoming a little concerned about it.

"Animals can sometimes sense when something evil is near...Kiyu is no different." Harlock stated, as he turned a wary gaze to the woods; following the dog's line of sight towards one part of it in particular.

"_And I've learned to listen to such warnings, when they are given._" Harlock mused; stiffening when a familiar voice called out to them from overhead.

"Well, well. It seems that some of this pathetic world's lesser creatures aren't as stupid as they look." a man's voice sneered, as its' owner leaped easily from the treetop he'd been sitting in, and landed just yards away from them.

"Alberich..." Harlock growled, as he defensively put himself between Marian and the last of the Nibelung Clan; pushing her behind him and towards the house.

"_Alberich? As in Wagner's 'Ring Cycle' Alberich? What in the world is going on here?.!_" Marian wondered; jumping slightly when the other man spoke again.

"Quite an honor that you remember me, Harlock! Or do you just make it a habit to remember the name of every enemy you make?" Alberich sneered, his tone making the leering mask he wore look demonic.

"Marian..." Harlock murmured; his quiet tone startling the woman from her frightened musings, and getting her to look up at him, "Go inside and get my gun and sword. Quickly!"

"Right!" Marian whispered, as she turned and dashed towards the back door.

"Don't move!" Alberich snarled, as he whipped out his own laser pistol and fired it at the retreating woman's back. With a yelp, Marian was barely able to dodge the shot; cringing when it impacted just inches away from her head.

"Leave her be, Alberich!" Harlock furiously shouted, as he rushed in; ignoring the threat the pistol posed to him, and slamming his fist into Alberich's mask. He ignored the sudden and fiery pain when the gun went off and it's blast tore into his side; focusing solely on keeping Marian safe and the madman's attention on him alone.

"_I am not going to let another woman die like that! Never again!_" Harlock's mind raged, as he fought to get the gun out of Alberich's hands. He allowed a short cry to escape when Alberich grabbed his shoulder and tore the wound there open again, and gasped when he felt a fist's impact force the air from his lungs. With a shove, Alberich knocked him to the ground; triumphantly holding the pistol to the pirate's head when he had gotten to his own feet.

"I win this time, pirate." Alberich sneered, breathlessly, as he began to pull the trigger...

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"Are all repairs nearly complete?" Tochiro asked, as he anxiously patrolled through the _**Arcadia**_'s halls.

"Almost. Just a few more systems need to be checked, and then we'll be ready to go again." Yattaran replied, from his position on the main deck.

"Good." Tochiro murmured; turning when he heard something behind him. To his astonishment, there was an odd, blue object materializing behind him!

"_What the_...?.!" Tochiro's mind yelped, before what appeared to be an old-fashioned police call box appeared fully before him, and it's door opened.

"So, I understand that you lot need some help?" a man asked, as he strode purposefully out of the box and looked down at him.

"Hai..." Tochiro said, surprised by this turn of events, to say that least (even moreso when a young woman stuck her head out of the box as well and curiously glanced at the hallway beyond it). The stranger then grinned amiably and motioned to himself.

"Then here I am. What kind of help do you need?" the man asked.

"We need to get our captain back! He's lost in time, and needs help getting back here!" Tochiro said, urgently.

"I'll see what I can do, then. Do you have anything of his that can be used to track him down?" the man again asked. Tochiro nodded.

"There's plenty of stuff in his quarters! But why would you need such a thing?" Tochiro in turn questioned, curiously.

"So the TARDIS can track him down a bit easier. The old girl needs a sample of his 'scent', if you will." the man replied, easily.

"I see...Come this way, then!" Tochiro said, then led them on a mad dash through the winding corridors; hoping against hope that they wouldn't be too late in locating the missing pirate captain.

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Marian's mind was ablur as she stumbled up the stairs; frantically trying to get to Harlock's room and find his weapons. She forced herself to go even faster when she heard him cry out in pain; fearing and knowing that he'd been re-injured...She could only hope it wasn't seriously.

"_His sword and gun_..._Where'd he put them? Under the bed or in the closet? Oh god, I can't believe something like this is even happening!_" Marian thought, as she frantically searched the two most likely places where the weapons could be. Thankfully enough, she found them quickly; almost tripping over her own feet in her rush to get back to his side with them.

"_Please! Don't let me be too late!_" Marian desperately thought, as she tore down the stairs as though her own life depended on it.

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Unable to move, Harlock could almost see his own life flashing before his mind's eye; memories of his youth, time in the military, time with Maya, the Illumidas war and occupation, the first meeting with Tochiro and Emeraldas, the loss of his right eye, his exile into space, his adventures after that, ending up in the twenty-first century, and meeting Marian...It all seemed to blend together in just those few seconds. Almost in slow motion, he could see the trigger of the pistol being squeezed back and then, something else flashed into view with a snarl. Alberich's surprised and pained yell woke Harlock from the spell death had almost cast on him, and prompted him to leap towards the back door; just as Marian appeared with his own weapons in hand.

"KIYU!!!" Marian yelped, when she saw what Harlock had missed; the dog now had Alberich's right arm firmly between her jaws, fiercely determined to protect her beloved humans from harm. And then, in a moment that seemed to freeze both Marian and Harlock into place, another shot was fired from the laser pistol in Alberich's hand...a shot that proved fatal to the brave canine. With a soft howl, Kiyu fell away from the madman's arm; landing in a crumpled heap in the soft grass at his feet.

"NO!!!" Marian cried, in horror; tears flowing freely down her face as she helplessly watched the events unfold. Yet she looked up when Harlock fired an answering shot at the madman; hitting him right between the eyes and he fell with a gurgling groan soon afterwards.

"Kiyu..." Marian whispered, as she slowly approached the fallen dog's side, picked her up and held her close. In a final act of love, Kiyu weakly lifted her head and licked the tears off of her mistress' cheek, then went limp.

"I'm sorry..." Harlock murmured, in an attempt to console her, "If only I had acted sooner...she might still be alive."

"No...There was nothing we could do...I...I just never knew she could be...so brave." Marian sobbed, as she allowed him to hold her close.

"She gave her life for you...It's up to you to honor her gift as best you can...If I could, I would give her an honorable burial in the Sea of Stars for this sacrifice." Harlock said sadly, as he ran his fingers through the dog's rough fur.

"At least he paid for taking her life." Marian murmured. Harlock said nothing to this, even as his thoughts took a darker turn.

"_Unfortunately, I can't agree with that_..._That__ was far too easy_..." Harlock mused, as he gazed at the lifeless body on the lawn in front of them; suspicion making his eye narrow slightly at the very idea that the madman was still out there, somewhere. He just wished he knew where.

Author's Note!

At long last, the story begins to take shape! Hope this was an all right chapter!

Gemini14


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Marian only half-heartedly listened as Harlock prepared himself for battle. The moments following Kiyu's death had passed like a whirlwind; the body of 'Alberich' had simply melted into nothing after Harlock's shot had brought him down, and the pirate was now gathering what they both were going to need for travel.

"_We can't continue to stay here. This area is too well known to him, now._" Harlock had murmured, after he'd wrapped Kiyu's body in his cloak. Now, she could only wonder why she had thought her life had been so bad before Harlock had come into it.

"_But that's unfair to him. I shouldn't blame him for Kiyu's death_..._he has enough to worry about, without my adding to his burden._" Marian mused; looking up when he had finished doing whatever he had been doing, and stood before her. Again, she found herself regretting her harsher thoughts towards him, when she saw the expression on his face. Guilt could be clearly seen there, as well as some worry and weariness. There was also a hint of pain in his eye as well, but he seemed determined to ignore it, for the time being.

"Are you all right, Marian?" Harlock asked; his quiet tone, as always, surprising her. Marian nodded.

"I'm fine. I should be asking you that same question. You're as pale as a sheet." Marian replied, as she stood up and gently placed a hand to his scarred face; feeling something akin to dismay when he flinched slightly at the contact.

"I'm all right. No need to worry about me." Harlock murmured, even though his tone sounded strained, "We need to hurry, though. We're running out of daylight."

"Right." Marian agreed; watching as he wrapped the cloak even more securely around the dog's body, and then gently setting it in the place where Kiyu used to sleep.

"This is the best I can do, at this point. Sleep well, my friend." Harlock said, before turning and then taking Marian by the hand and leading her away. Neither of them realized just how important this decision was, nor how it would decide both of their fates...

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At his stubborn insistence, Tochiro had badgered the renegade Time Lord into taking him along to search for Harlock. And right alongside him were Tadashi, Tetsuro, Emeraldas, and Maetel, as well.

"Can I get any of you anything? I'm sure there's some tea in here somewhere." the Doctor's companion offered, politely; bravely ignoring the tough appearance of a few of her fellow travelers.

"No thanks, Rose. Your offer's appreciated, though." Tochiro replied, as he gave the girl a slight grin.

"I hope we're able to find the Captain quickly...What Miime had said before we left had been disturbing, to say the least." Maetel murmured, quietly; voicing her concerns to the rest of the group about the Nibelung woman's cryptic reminder.

"_Alberich isn't dead yet._" Miime had whispered, her words causing a chill to run down their spines.

"I agree with ya there, Maetel. If Alberich had somehow managed to manipulate some of that 'Dragon Fluid', then he may have gathered just enough power to rip open time and pull Harlock down with him...If that's the case, then Harlock's gonna need all the help he can get." Tochiro stated, reaching down and making sure he had his Cosmo Dragoon with him, as he said that.

"Then all we can hope for is that we make it in time. Right Maetel?" Tetsuro asked, with determination in his young eyes.

"Right." Maetel agreed; looking up when the central column began to slow down.

"We're almost there. Be ready." the Doctor warned. This got a grim nod from those who had come on this self-proclaimed rescue mission; what would they find in the place and time Harlock had ended up in? And, most importantly, would they get there in time to prevent a tragedy?

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All too swiftly, night was falling on the cliffside road as they rushed to get as far as they could from the house on foot. Even before they had left, Marian could see the reason why Harlock had opted not to use her car; they hadn't even gone fifteen feet from the door, when the vehicle suddenly exploded. It had forced the space pirate to shield her with his own body so she wouldn't be hit with the molten shrapnel and glass that had rained down on them shortly afterwards.

"That bastard...he's gonna pay for killing Kiyu AND blowin' up my car...And I'm gonna make sure he STAYS dead, dammit." Marian fumed, under her breath, as they marched through the darkness. She heard the pirate utter almost a snort of amusement for that, yet didn't slow his pace in the slightest.

"You're certainly welcome to try, Marian. I'll even let you use my Cosmo Dragoon, for added measure." Harlock quipped.

"Thanks." Marian muttered, sarcastically; looking up in time to see him stumble a little bit in mid-stride, and put a hand to his side.

"_Wait a minute_..._His wounds! Shit! How could I have forgotten?.! He's hurt!_" Marian thought, this reason alone was enough to bring her out of her bad mood and depression, and to get her to reach out and grab Harlock's left arm. Startled, Harlock stopped in his tracks and looked down at her.

"You're pushing yourself too hard. I can tell." Marian said, easily able to discern the signs of injury in the stubborn man before her. His face was pale, and a thin sheen of sweat could faintly be seen, even in the moonlight. Even his breathing seemed more than a little strained.

"But we can't stop here." Harlock replied, as he made a move to begin walking again, only to sink to one knee with a gasp a second later. Marian was quick in her efforts to steady him; noticing with a sick feeling in her gut that his shoulder wound was bleeding again...and the wound itself seemed even worse than before.

"We're going to have to." Marian said, then asked, "Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"

"I didn't want you to worry." Harlock said, painfully, as Marian began to rummage through her knapsack for her flashlight and first aid kit. Marian sighed as she remembered his second night in her home, and that he'd said something very similar then, as well.

"It's a bit late for that precaution. You only succeed in making me worry more, when you hide your injuries like this." Marian chided, as she had him sit down on a boulder, and gently undid the front of his tunic. The sight that greeted her made her have to stifle a gasp; thanks to the added light of the flashlight, she could see what appeared to be an ugly burn combined with an open wound on his side. The bandages on his shoulder and down his chest were soaked in blood.

"These wounds look serious...Why didn't you say something?" Marian asked, stunned by the severity of the wounds themselves, as well as his silence about them. He said nothing more, but the look in his eye told her everything.

"_He's afraid. I can see it_..._Afraid to involve me any further in this, and of what Alberich might do to me, if he does. Judging from what he'd said earlier, he'd already had one woman die in his arms_..._and definitely doesn't want it to happen again. But, at this rate_..." Marian mused, as she then stubbornly began to remove the blood-soaked bandages from his shoulder and chest; surprising him with the resolve that had finally settled in her hazel eyes.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to die, I promise." Marian said, reassuringly, as she quickly yet carefully redressed the existing wounds in the clean bandages, and treated the gash in his side as well as she could.

"If you continue to involve yourself with me, you still could." Harlock murmured, a little uncertainly, "I don't know if I can continue to protect you." He seemed a little surprised when she abruptly gave him a self-assured smile.

"You'll find that I'm full of surprises, Captain. My ex-boyfriend had acted a little bit like Alberich before he left, and I still kicked his ass. I just need a little more firepower now, that's all." Marian reassured; laughing a little bit when he gave her a dubious look, and then handed her his Cosmo Dragoon (along with its' holster).

"I'm inclined to believe that, at this point." Harlock muttered; stifling a growl of pain when the alcohol was applied to his side in an effort to sterilize the wound there.

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The stillness was shattered, as the sound of a machine abruptly came from nowhere. With unearthly groans and wheezes, the TARDIS finally touched down.

"You sure this machine of yours' doesn't need a tune-up? Sounds a bit rough to me." Tochiro said, as he cautiously led the way outside.

"Quite sure. And I must politely decline your offer of the tune-up. I kind of like the old girl the way she is." the Doctor stated, as he fondly patted the paneling on the time machine's exterior.

"Can't argue that. Now, let's hurry and find Harlock." Tochiro murmured, as he un-holstered his own Cosmo Dragoon (and as Emeraldas, Tadashi, Tetsuro and even Maetel did the same).

"Any idea on where he is, Tochiro? How far away he could be now?" Tadashi asked, concernedly, as he glanced warily around at what appeared to be the inside of a twenty-first century earth style home.

"He must be fairly close by, since the TARDIS materialized where he should have been until just recently." the Doctor stated, as he also strode alongside the group of would-be rescuers.

"Are you coming along with us, Doctor?" Maetel questioned; seemingly surprised that the Time Lord seemed so concerned about the space pirate captain, as well.

"Of course. Even with his limited control over time, Alberich is a menace to all. There's still a possibility he could slip even further back in time and try to erase every one of you from existence by killing your ancestors." the Doctor said, then added, "Simply put, in the end, this might be a problem only I can handle."

"Well, thanks in advance for the help, Doctor. Seems we're gonna need it." Tochiro muttered; perking when Tetsuro uttered a yelp of discovery.

"Tetsuro! What'd you find?.!" Tadashi asked, as they rushed in the direction the other teen had gone in, while they had been speaking.

"Harlock had been here! Here's his cloak! But it's...wrapped around...oh..." Tetsuro said, his voice getting even quieter when he saw what the garment had been wrapped reverently around.

"Damn. This poor dog didn't stand a chance. Took a laser blast right through the heart...It must've tried to protect him..." Tochiro said, as he gently lifted the cloak away from what appeared to be a grey-furred dog so they all could see, then tucked it back around it again.

"Rare is the man that respects even the smallest life...I've seen many things in my lives, but it seems your captain has won my respect for his humanity." the Doctor murmured; seeming very impressed by this simple act on the still-missing captain's part.

"That's just the sort of man Harlock is." Emeraldas said, simply; breaking her silence for the first time since they had left their own time.

"Yeah. Now let's go find 'im." Tochiro said, as he pulled what appeared to be a handheld tracking device out from within his tattered brown cloak.

"What's that, Tochiro?" Tetsuro questioned, curiously.

"A while back, Harlock and I got ambushed by bounty hunters. Put a tracer on the back of his belt buckle that helped us find him when he'd been taken by the hunters." Tochiro replied; remembering the event in question with a grimace. He'd almost lost his best friend then, as well; but some fate had smiled on them, and they had gotten to him in time, before he could be killed.

"It appears to be working...and he hasn't gotten too far away yet. Let's hurry." Maetel urged.

"Agreed. Rose, hold the fort here. We'll be right back." the Doctor ordered, as he and Tochiro took up the lead; not knowing what they would find at the source of the signal...but still hoping for a miracle, regardless.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Well, well. What a sweet scene this is." a voice sneered, making both Harlock and Marian jump slightly and whirl around to face the speaker. Melting out of the shadows like a phantom, Alberich's leering facade appeared before them.

"_Shit_..._Not good._" Marian mentally cursed, when she saw the madman's masked visage materialize; knowing for a fact that Harlock was in no shape to fight.

"Alberich, what do you want?" Harlock growled, his eye narrowing dangerously as the Nibelung got a little too close to Marian for comfort.

"What I have been wanting since before our first encounter..." Alberich replied, then added, as he slowly pulled out a laser pistol and aimed it at him, "Revenge."

Author's Note!

I hope this chapter made sense! (Didn't seem that way to me, and seemed like a bit more rambling).

Also, there's an homage to Ligthingtooth's fic 'Hunters Prey' in this chapter, as well!

Read and review, please!

Gemini14


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

For a few moments, it seemed as though time itself had stopped; leaving the vengeance-driven maniac and the misplaced space pirate frozen in place. The thickening tension in the air made Marian shiver involuntarily. Harlock's stance was tense; she could see very easily just how hard he was struggling to stay upright, despite the pain in his chest and shoulder. In direct contrast, Alberich looked completely relaxed... in fact, almost lazy (but she wasn't foolish enough to believe that he would miss his targets, no matter how sloppy his shots might be).

"Your quarrel was originally against the gods, and then me. Why have you involved Marian in this?" Harlock questioned, his tone steely as he uttered those words. He bristled slightly when the maniac snickered, and then answered him.

"Why not? She is in league with you, thus my reasons for including her in your destruction." Alberich leered.

"_In other words_..._'two birds with one stone'_..." Marian mused, then growled, "You sick bastard." She tightened her grip around the Cosmo Dragoon when he glanced at her, in response to those words.

"Your woman is quite outspoken, Harlock." Alberich commented, then added, "How unfortunate it is, that she has to die with you. Such a pity." It was at that point that all hell broke loose. With a move that Marian almost couldn't see, Harlock dodged a blast from the dangerously close pistol; firing a blast from his saber as he did so (much to her shock...She honestly hadn't known that it had been a gun of sorts, as well!). Yet she followed Harlock's example and leaped to one side; just before another blast from Alberich's pistol scorched the ground where she'd been standing.

"Take this!" Marian shouted, then fired a shot from the Cosmo Dragoon when she saw how close Harlock had been to getting hit.

"_I hope we can hold out against this lunatic_..._I really don't know how long Harlock will be able to continue fighting with his injuries_..." Marian thought, yet bravely fought on, alongside the pirate; fiercely determined to protect him, if nothing else.

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"I don't much like the sound of that." the Doctor murmured, when the sound of distant gunfire reached his sensitive ears. They could hear the distinct sounds of two pistols and a gravity saber going off, and could faintly see the flashes from the muzzles of the weapons.

"Sounds like Alberich found him before we could..." Tochiro agreed, before both teenagers rushed off in that direction.

"Tadashi! Tetsuro! Come back! Don't rush into it!" Maetel shouted, trying to get the two headstrong teens to return before they could get hurt.

"Those two might have the right idea...If we wait too long, we could lose Harlock. Let's go." Emeraldas said, in her usual quiet tone; even though it had an edge of ice.

"Let's waste no more time, then!" the Doctor agreed, getting a unanimous agreement from the other two beside him.

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Marian could just barely hear the sound of the waves crashing against the rock-strewn beach behind them, as the firefight continued; much more concerned about the struggling space pirate beside her, than anything else.

"_Thankfully enough, we're off the cliffs_..._So there's no threat of getting thrown to our deaths from there_..._But this shitty footing __could__ be the death of us._" Marian mused, barely refraining from yelping in surprise when Harlock pulled her down behind the relative safety of some of the larger boulders; watching as another shot from Alberich's gun impacted close to where she'd been standing.

"Thanks." Marian said, gratefully. She got only a nod from the exhausted pirate as a response, before he carefully eased towards her and held her close. Once again, she found herself with her ear to the pirate captain's chest; his heartbeat a soothing sound, despite the danger that loomed too close to them for comfort. When he finally spoke again, she could tell that she had reached one of those points in her life that a momentous decision had to be made.

"I don't think...you can go back...to how your life had been...before I came into it..." Harlock gasped, his voice rough with the pain he was feeling, physically and emotionally.

"I don't think so either." Marian quietly agreed, as he then looked down at her, his eye showing clearly his anguish at having disrupted her peaceful life, and the danger he had inadvertently put her into.

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in this. I honestly wish it could have been different..." Harlock murmured, guiltily.

"Don't be sorry...Despite what you think, I wouldn't change anything...True, what'd happened to Kiyu is still heartbreaking, it'd be even worse if I let you die by Alberich's hand. I made a promise to myself that I'd somehow get you back to your own time...and it's a promise I intend to keep." Marian reassured, bravely, then ruefully added, "Somehow." At this, Harlock allowed a slight, pained smile to cross his scarred features.

"If only it were possible to bring you back with me. It would be an honor to have you aboard the _**Arcadia**_." Harlock softly said, as Marian gave him a brief smile.

"And I'd be honored to be there." Marian responded; dropping her voice into a whisper, when the sounds of footsteps and Alberich's growled cursing neared their shelter.

"_I just hope we both survive long enough to see you return to the future, Harlock._" Marian mused, before they both assumed ready positions, and prepared to fight their way back to the road. They were both therefore stunned when two teenaged boys appeared on the scene; firing what appeared to be laser pistols at Alberich as they went. And she heard it when Harlock muttered a shocked epithet in German when he recognized the two youths that were racing towards them.

"Tadashi! Tetsuro!" Harlock shouted, as the pair skidded to a halt before them.

"Captain!" both teens shouted, as relieved smiles appeared on their youthful faces.

"Perfect! Two more!" Alberich cheerfully sneered, as he fired more blasts at them; his shots increasing in accuracy at a frightening pace.

"Down! Both of you!" Harlock growled, as he grabbed the pair by the collars of their jackets and threw them behind the boulder; taking another blast for himself as he did so.

"Harlock!" Marian screamed, when she saw the laser's impact; blood flying from his face as it scorched its' way through the patch. All else became a blur as she dropped the Cosmo Dragoon from suddenly nerveless hands, rushed forward, and attempted to catch Harlock as he fell back. Stumbling under his weight, Marian turned and snapped out a command to the stunned teens behind her, "Cover me, dammit! He'll die if he gets hit again!" Numbly, Tadashi and Tetsuro did as they were told; firing as many shots as accurately as they could at the maniac, and providing Marian with a tiny margin of safety so she could lay the badly injured pirate captain down and see to his newest injury.

"W-what a...nightmare..." Harlock mumbled, almost incoherently. Marian could only nod in agreement; her stomach lurching violently within her, when she saw the blood coursing freely down the right side of his face.

"Shh...I know. Just hang on. Please. Hang on." Marian pleaded, as she removed his scarf from around his neck, pressed it to the right side of his face, and applied as much pressure as she dared in an effort to stop the bleeding. She could feel it when he shuddered in pain, and could only guess that both kinds were at their highest points.

"How is he?" Tadashi asked, anxiously, from over his shoulder.

"Not good. He's about to go into shock." Marian replied, as she slowly placed the pirate's head in her lap.

"Damn! I hope Tochiro, Emeraldas, Maetel and that Doctor get here soon! We can't hold out here for too much longer!" Tadashi shouted; inwardly cursing himself for having rushed into the situation and making it even worse.

"You're gonna have to! Harlock's life is depending on you now!" Marian snapped, angrily, as she again took up Harlock's Cosmo Dragoon and gripped it defensively.

"She's right, Tadashi! We can't give up now!" Tetsuro cried; gritting his teeth as he tried to keep Alberich in his sights.

"_I hope Emeraldas and Tochiro are able to help us stop this guy soon! It's getting so dark that we can't see where the hell he really is!_" Tadashi mused, worriedly; glancing out of the corner of his eye at the now strangely-still pirate captain, and hoping that help wouldn't get there too late.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Within the TARDIS, Rose Tyler could only wait anxiously for the Doctor and those with him to return. Her anxiety really wasn't helped any when he'd told her to find as much first aid supplies as she could before they returned.

"Let's see...It looks like it's all here. Is there anything I'm missing?" Rose murmured, to herself, as she checked the white boxes over again, just to be sure.

"You might want to check on the bags of IV fluids. Make certain that they are up-to-date, and that they are in reach if they are needed." an unfamiliar voice stated, calmly.

"Right!" Rose agreed, as she leapt to her feet and began to move towards the storage area of the TARDIS again...only to pause when she realized that she should have been completely alone!

"Who's here?" Rose asked, edgily. To her shock, in the spot where she had been kneeling, there sat what appeared to be a huge black wolf!Even though he was sitting down, his head was even with her waist; his midnight black fur and wise blue eyes shining in the artificial light of the control room.

"Where did you...? How did you...?" Rose asked, dumbfounded by this, to say the least. The wolf patiently shook his head, and then gave her an urgent look.

"That isn't important right now. Where is Harlock?" the wolf in turn asked, his concern showing itself freely in his eyes and voice.

"The Doctor and the rest are out looking for him..." Rose replied, even though she could hardly believe that she was actually talking to a wolf!

"Open the doors. I'm going out as well." the wolf commanded, in a tone that told Rose that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. With a nod, the stunned girl did as she was told and opened the doors of the time machine; no sooner doing so when the wolf uttered a howl, and then charged into the darkness beyond.

Author's Note!

So sorry about the too-short chapter, minna, but writer's block is starting to try and get it's teeth into this fic again! Hope the next chapter is a bit longer! (And notice the homage to Ligthingtooth's stories in here and read them as well!)

hint, hint

Gemini14


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Tochiro could almost swear that his heart was in his mouth, as they neared the place where the sounds were coming from. The smell of burnt rocks and smoke was thick in the air, as was the distinct coppery smell of blood (this being despite the fact that the ocean was in front of them).

"Ah, more for the slaughter, I see!" Alberich's voice gleefully laughed, as he turned and fired at them, as well.

"_Shit. We'd thought this guy was off his rocker before, now he's definitely got a few more screws loose! He's so out of it, he doesn't even realize or seem to care that he's completely outnumbered!_" Tochiro thought, as he and his companions ducked behind some more boulders and he scanned the area for the two teenagers and the missing pirate captain. To his relief, he spotted Tetsuro and Tadashi behind a nearby boulder...yet felt his mouth go dry when he beheld what had become of Harlock. The pirate captain was down, and looked to be badly injured; his head propped up on the lap of a woman who was trying to stanch some bleeding on his face, and was using Harlock's Cosmo Dragoon in a bid to protect him at the same time.

"Things don't look so good for your captain." the Doctor murmured; cursing under his breath every time the madman's shots struck the rocks too near to them for comfort.

"The understatement of the hour. How the hell are we gonna get them out of there?" Tochiro asked; knowing that, even though they were up against just one man, he wasn't at all human. At this, the Doctor only offered a slight grin.

"Where there's a will, there will always be a way..." the Doctor murmured; reaching into his pocket for something as he spoke.

"Then we'd better hurry. Harlock won't last much longer." Maetel said; breaking her silence in the face of the odds set against them. Seconds later, Alberich uttered a wrenching cry of pain; gripping his head with one hand and shooting wildly in all directions as he did so.

"You...filth! What are you doing to me?.!" Alberich screamed, in agony, as he tried to shoot whatever it was the Doctor now held in his hand. At this turn of events, Tochiro couldn't help the curiosity that this caused, and looked from the corner of his eye at the object the Doctor had in hand. It appeared to be some sort of metal contraption that had a bright red light at the top, and a button on the side.

"What is that thing?" Tochiro asked, equally as confused as the madman about this.

"Sonic screwdriver. It has over a million uses...just didn't know that stopping fruitcakes was one of them." the Doctor replied, as a cheeky grin appeared on his face at that. Tochiro allowed himself a smirk at this, and shook his head slightly.

"Gonna have to get me one of those." Tochiro muttered, then fired a shot of his own that knocked Alberich's gun from his hand.

"I'll take it from here, friends!" another voice growled, before a huge, furry shape came snarling from the darkness; knocking Alberich to the ground and pinning him there.

"Lightningtooth! Where the hell...?.!" Tochiro began, in shock; yet was unprepared when the pitch black wolf was flung off by the madman, and when said madman grabbed his own pistol again and aimed it at the wolf.

"No! I'm not letting you kill anything else, bastard!" the young woman at Harlock's side shouted, furiously, then fired off another shot from the Cosmo Dragoon in her hands. To their shock, the blast took on an almost purified light before it struck Alberich in the shoulder; forcing him to drop his gun again with a gasp.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

In a heartbeat, the danger was finally past. In her shock over having shot someone (even though she'd been exchanging fire with the madman for quite a while before then), Marian almost dropped the Cosmo Dragoon...recovering when someone placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Upon looking up, she saw that both boys were giving her concerned looks.

"You alright?" Tadashi asked, quietly. Marian somehow managed a nod.

"Yeah. Sorry I chewed your head off, earlier." Marian replied, apologetically. This got an abashed look from Tadashi as a response.

"Don't worry about that. I deserved it." Tadashi murmured, as he then glanced worriedly at Harlock. The pirate captain was a piteous sight to behold as he lay there on Marian's lap; he was deathly pale, with blood soaking through the scarf that had been pressed to his right eye. His breathing was shaky, nothing more than ragged gasps.

"We've got to get him to a hospital. He won't survive if he keeps bleeding like this." Marian murmured, concernedly.

"If we can get him back to the _**Arcadia**_, then he might pull through." another voice suggested; this voice getting the severely wounded pirate captain to rouse up slightly.

"Light..." Harlock whispered, weakly, as he reached out towards the voice. Marian could only sit in mute wonder as a wolf materialized beside Harlock, and placed his massive head on the pirate's chest.

"I am here, my friend." the wolf reassured, in a quiet tone (much to Marian's astonishment).

"Where have you been? I thought...Alberich had thrown you into another time..." Harlock said, as he placed one hand on the wolf's head, and gently scratched the backs of his ears. At this, the wolf only smiled slightly.

"You forget...I have some control over time and space, as well. I've been searching for you since we got separated from one another at that battlefield." the wolf replied, then looked directly at Marian, "Thank you for helping him as much as you have. I truly appreciate it."

"Um...N-no problem. It was the least I could do." Marian said, uncertainly, then added, "I'm a nurse, after all. I couldn't justify leaving him on his own then...and I can't leave his side now." At this, the wolf gave her a true smile.

"I was hoping you would say that." the wolf stated, then glanced over at the group just beyond the boulder they were behind. Much to their relief, Alberich was now tied firmly, hand and foot, with the Doctor standing over him.

"How is he, Lightningtooth?" Emeraldas questioned, as she walked over, with Tochiro and Maetel on her heels. Before the wolf could respond, Harlock spoke up, instead.

"I feel as though a great many heavy objects have fallen on me, been picked up, and then dropped on me again." Harlock managed, tiredly.

"In other words, like hell, right?" Tochiro asked, almost jokingly. This got an almost arched eyebrow from the downed pirate captain.

"In more ways than just hell. Add purgatory to it, and then we'll have my physical condition in a nutshell." Harlock muttered, sarcastically. This got a few snickers from his closest allies, and even Marian, before the nurse spoke up again.

"Then you'll just have to focus on resting and healing. Don't worry, I'll be with you every step of the way. I won't abandon you." Marian said, stubbornly, as she gently stroked Harlock's cheek.

"Are you sure about that? You'll be going to the future to stay. You won't be able to come back, once you have seen what is there." Lightningtooth warned; seeming even more pleased when the woman gave him a determined look.

"I don't really have anything tying me down here, in this time, either. What's left of my family doesn't want me, my ex-boyfriends want me dead (or worse), and my best friend is dead. To be honest, Harlock is probably the most worthwhile man I have ever met...'Sides, this life and time is boring anyway." Marian stated; smiling when she saw what could have been an exasperated look appear on Harlock's bloodied features.

"Looks like you're stuck with another stubborn woman, Harlock." Tochiro chortled.

"Shut up, Tochiro." Harlock grumbled, painfully. And yet, he couldn't help but look up at Marian with fondness. Maybe she would be well-suited for the life of piracy, after all.

"_I'll have to see about getting a Cosmo Dragoon made for her, as well_..." Harlock mused, as reality drifted away from him, once again.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

All was silent on board the _**Arcadia**_, as the crew waited tensely for their captain to return. This silence was shared by both the _**Queen Emeraldas**_ and the _**Three-Nine**_ as well. Thus they were all a bit startled and relieved when the TARDIS finally re-materialized within the halls of Harlock's ship, and when the news came that the pirate captain had been found and was with those on the time machine itself. Yet the relief was short-lived, when they saw what condition Harlock was in; his chest, abdomen, and left shoulder were tightly bound in blood-soaked bandages, and a patch of crimson could be seen on the right side of his face.

"Oh, Kami-sama..." Doc Zero muttered; his own round face paling when he saw how severely wounded the taller man was, then shaking his head vigorously in an effort to break free of the shock and get right down to business.

"Get him to sickbay as fast as you can! I'll be right behind you!" Doc Zero ordered; putting his usual drunken persona aside in the face of the urgent need the pirate captain had for medical attention. Needing no further prompting, the Doctor (who now carried the unconscious Harlock effortlessly in his arms) took off down the hallway, with some other crewmembers leading him.

"Allow me to help, as well." an unfamiliar woman volunteered; her tone, however, leaving him no room to argue. With a nod, the _**Arcadia**_'s doctor nodded, then motioned for her to follow him.

"Who are you? I don't recall having seen you before." Doc Zero commented; remembering that the Time Lord had a companion, but wasn't certain if the woman beside him was her.

"The name's Marian Collins." the woman replied, simply, then added, "I'll properly introduce myself later, after we've helped Harlock. Okay with you?"

"By all means." Doc Zero answered, panting a little bit as they rounded a corner, and dashed into the sickbay itself. From the looks of things, they had very little time left to save Harlock's life...and he was going to need all the help he could get.

Author's Note!

Another short chapter...Oh well. The story is finally coming to an end, after so long. (Many thanks to Ligthingtooth for motivating me to get back into it!) It's been a wild ride, but hopefully I did an all right job! Thanks for reading!

Gemini14


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

The surgery to save Harlock's life was finally over. With little more than a sigh of exhaustion, Marian took her surgeon's mask off, and gazed somberly at the pirate captain's face.

"_If I hadn't known how strong he was, beforehand, then I would have thought that he's only moments away from dying. He looks awful._" Marian mused, as she took in how fragile he now looked. Fresh bandages adorned the right half of his face, and covered his chest and abdomen; his chest just barely rising and falling under them as he breathed. An oxygen mask only added to the scene of just how bleak things looked.

"Miss Collins?" Doc Zero asked; startling her out of her grim thoughts, for a moment.

"Please, just call me 'Marian'. You don't have to be formal with me." Marian said, quietly. Doc Zero gave her a weak smile.

"Marian, then……Go get some rest. I'll let you know of any changes." Doc Zero said; feeling some hope rise within him when he saw her stubbornly shake her head.

"I'm staying by his side. I'd promised him that much." Marian stated, firmly.

"Okay. Just keep an eye on his blood pressure, while I go out and tell everybody else how the surgery went." Doc Zero murmured, as worry for the captain emerged. Marian nodded in agreement.

"I will." Marian said, then returned her gaze to the monitor beside Harlock's bed. Even though the equipment was more advanced than what she was used to, she could tell just from looking at it that things looked bleak. Harlock was in desperate need of a blood transfusion…..but no one in his crew had his blood type.

"_Damn. Of all things, why did he have to get stuck with a rare blood type?_" Marian wondered, as she took a seat beside Harlock's bed, reached out, and took one of his hands in hers'. He didn't respond to the touch, but she felt reassured when she felt the warmth coming from his hand.

"Hang on. Don't give up yet. Your crew needs you…..I need you." Marian whispered, gently; noticing when his hand twitched slightly in her grasp, signaling that in a small way, he was aware of her presence.

"How is he doing?" a male voice asked, concernedly, as Lightningtooth appeared beside her.

"Not good. He's very anemic…..almost dangerously so. He's going to need a transfusion in order to survive…..but no one on board has his blood type." Marian replied, now used to the fact that the wolf was able to talk, and relaying the bad news to him in all honesty.

"I see…..It brings a whole new connotation to the saying 'the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak', doesn't it?" Lightningtooth asked, as he gazed at his friend's far-too-pale features.

"Sure does." Marian agreed, as she freed one of her hands, and softly brushed Harlock's limp bangs off of his scarred face.

"If…..he doesn't get the transfusion…..and yet somehow survives…..how long will he be like this?" Lightningtooth again asked, as a note of dread emerged in his voice. Marian shook her head in response.

"I don't know. Maybe weeks, or maybe months. The ship's doctor could try intravenous drips that have an iron supplement to encourage blood cell production, but it would be a slow process." Marian stated, as she gave the IV attached to Harlock's arm an unreadable look.

"It will be better than doing nothing and letting him die." Lightningtooth said, determinedly.

"You're right about that. It's just that it would be better if we could find someone who could donate some blood…..He's going to need the white blood cells, as well, if he's to survive this." Marian said; as worry of imminent infections rose within her mind.

"Then maybe you should have someone conduct a search for some possible donors…..or find out where some donor blood is being stored." Lightningtooth suggested, and as a look of hope appeared on Marian's face.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that before?.! Thank you! You may have just saved his life with that suggestion!" Marian said, brightly; giving him a brilliant smile as she started to rush towards the door of the sickbay…..only to utter a cry of shock when she felt the floor fall out from under her.

"Marian!" Lightningtooth yelped, his voice enough to summon those standing outside to rush back into the sickbay…..just in time to see the nurse disappear.

"Damn! What the hell just happened?.! Where'd Marian go?.!" Tochiro asked, numbed and more than a little dumbfounded by what had just happened.

"A time hole…..She's fallen through a time hole…..and there's no way I can reopen it to go after her……" Lightningtooth whispered, as the full horror of the situation dawned on them; another woman in Harlock's life was now, suddenly and inexplicably, gone…..and they didn't know how they were going to explain it to the captain when he finally did wake up.

"Oh, Harlock…..If only I had known! I may have been able to stop it!" Maetel said, as tears appeared in her cool blue eyes; knowing that the pirate captain was going to be heartbroken when he awoke.

"I'll search for her. The TARDIS may yet be able to track her down." The Doctor said, determinedly, before taking off down the hallway towards his machine; shouting for Rose as he went.

"I hope he's able to find her….." Tetsuro murmured, sadly.

"So are we, kid. More than anything." Tochiro stated, as he gazed at Harlock's face with a look of dread; knowing that the shock of Marian's sudden loss could very well kill him.

…………………………..

He awoke to an almost nauseating throbbing in his skull, and a pain he had not felt since he'd first lost his right eye.

"_I feel like a Illumidas battle cruiser had landed on me_….." Harlock thought, painfully; the unconscious effort to move getting a pained groan from him. Immediately, he could sense when someone approached his bedside, and brushed a cool hand against his fevered brow.

"Marian…..?" Harlock rasped, gasping slightly when he felt how parched his throat was.

"Marian…..isn't here, Harlock." Emeraldas' voice said, startling him into opening his eye and looking up at her.

"What…..? Why?" Harlock asked, barely able to believe what the pirate queen had just told him. With a gentle sadness in her eyes, she sat down, and began to explain what had happened.

"You've been unconscious for two months, Harlock, and we almost lost you on a number of occasions. If Lightningtooth hadn't been so vigilant, you would have died." Emeraldas began, as she remembered the few occasions when Tochiro had been afraid enough to cry for his dying friend.

"You still…..haven't told me why Marian isn't here…..What happened, Emeraldas?" Harlock questioned; growling softly in the back of his throat when he forced himself to sit up, and holding still when the pain and dizziness almost made him black out again. He was stunned, therefore, when some tears appeared in the flame-haired woman's green eyes.

"After she had finished helping Doc Zero save your life, she fell through a time hole….There was nothing anyone could do…..And Lightningtooth has been cursing himself for his inability to rescue her since then. The Doctor is still searching, but he hasn't come across any clues to where or when she is…..I'm sorry…." Emeraldas said, sorrowfully, as a look of disbelief and loss appeared in the pirate captain's eye. And, even though she left before his tears could show themselves, she still could hear him sobbing softly from the hallway…..crying bitter tears for the second woman he had ever loved….and the second one who had dared to love him in return.

_**Owari**_

_**Oh, where did I, go wrong my love?**_

_**What petty crime, was I found guilty of?**_

_**What better time, to find a brand new day?**_

**_Oh Wanderlust away_…..**

**Author's Note!**

**Yeah, I know. Very quick and very sad way to end this story...But don't count Marian out yet! She will definitely be back!**

**Gemini14**


End file.
